Kiipu

@mecox What is the diagram at the bottom of the page about? Something to do with seppa? 昭和十三年制定陸軍制式軍刀（外装）

Found this maker's mark 洟 at the link below. Also note the decorative habaki. 陸軍将官軍刀（外装）

These do show up in period pictures and I think it has something to do with the Medical Corps. The latest F&G [edit: SoIJ by Dawson] has a picture of one. 明治18・19年制定　砲兵刀

Tameshigiri I think this is an officer because of the map case and binoculars. Something different..., Post #622

Yamashita in Berlin Something different..., Post #602

I think guntō collectors will enjoy browsing through this thread over at Axis History Forum (AHF). The thread was started in 2009 by an Australian and is still ongoing. Basically, it is a thread of photographs depicting the Japanese military. There is a sword picture on just about every page and hence my recommendation. Something different... As an example, take a look at this leather covered hilt. Something different..., Post #126 Enjoy the search and if you find something of interest, feel free to post a link.

Mal, I used the spelling that is given over at http://www.jp-sword.com/. Take a look at the above and let me know of any corrections. 鳥生博正 Torio Hiromasa

Column 1 塚本起正 Tsukamoto Okimasa、高橋義宗 Takahashi Yoshimune、守次則定 Moritsugu Norisada、仝［守次］行宗 Moritsugu Yukimune [仝 = 同 = same]、小山信光 Koyama Nobumitsu、 Column 2 川島忠善 Kawashima Tadayoshi、盛高靖博 Moritaka Yasuhiro、秋元昭友 Akimoto Akitomo、法華三郎 Hokei Saburō、太田親秀 Ōta/Ohta Chikahide、 Column 3 今井貞重 Imai Sadashige、末次繁光 Suetsugu Shigemitsu、一文字天秀 Ichimonji Amahide、井上貞包 Inoue Sadakane、笠間清和 Kasama Kiyokazu、 Column 4 塚本正和 Tsukamoto Masakazu、幡野昭信 Hatano Akinobu、山村介之 Yamamura Sukeyuki、田中宗継 Tanaka Munetsugu、小宮四郎 Komiya Shirō、 Column 5 塚越継延 Tsukakoshi Tsugunobu、富田祐弘 Tomita Sukehiro、今井兼継 Imai Kanetsugu、沖本忠國［國忠］Okimoto Tadakuni [Kunitada]、宮城守國 Miyagi Morikuni、 Column 6 鳥生博正 Torio Hiromasa、佐藤重則 Satō Shigenori　其他二十余名 more than twenty other people.

I used "Google Translate" on that as I am lazy! Maybe this is what you get when you cut corners. Column 1 塚本起正 Tsukamoto Okimasa、高橋義宗 Takahashi Yoshimune、守次則定 Moritsugu Norisada、仝［守次］行宗 Moritsugu Yukimune、小山信光 Koyama Nobumitsu 仝 = 同 = same.

@mecox, a rough translation of the front matter. Feel free to cut and paste as needed. @SteveM care to tackle the paragraph that comes after Tōjō? 陸軍省受領壱第三二八〇号 御願 東京市京橋区木挽町八丁目四番地　Tōkyō-shi Kyōbashi-ku ... 日本刀剣新聞社社長　金関力也　Nihon Tōken Shinbun-Sha Shachō　Kaneseki Rikiya 昭和十七年七月二十一日　1942-07-21 陸軍大臣東条英機殿　Rikugun Daijin Tōjō Hideki dono 日本刀ニ対スル世人ノ関心ヲ高メ且ツ現代刀匠ノ作刀ニ対スル認識ヲ深カラシメ之ニ依ツニノ武器日本刀ノ迫歩口上ニ資セシムルヲ主ナル目的トシテ自昭和十七年八月二十五日至同月三十日迄東京銀座松屋百貨店ノ於テ全国現代刀匠作刀日本刀展覧会ヲ開催スルニ当リ其年業達成ノ為メニ御省御後援ノ名称御許可賜リ度此段御願候也 新作日本刀展覧会 Shinsaku Nihontō Tenran-Kai New Japanese Sword Exhibition 一、会場　Ichi, Kaijō　1. Venue:　東京市銀座松屋百貨店　Matsuya Department Store, Ginza, Tōkyō. 一、期日　Ichi, Kijitsu　1. Fixed Date:　自昭和十七年八月二十五日至八月三十日　From August 25th to August 30th, 1942. 一、出品者　Ichi, Shuppin-Sha　1. Exhibitors:　全国刀匠中ノ上位ニ在ル者　Zenkoku tōshō Nakano jōi ni zai ru-sha　National Swordsmith Middle-Ranked Persons.

Speaking of Kurihara Hikosaburō 栗原彦三郎, I think this is a picture of him. The box has the kanji characters 御太刀 on it. Something different..., Post #309

The drawing depicts what collectors call a Type 98 Military Sword 昭和十三年制定軍刀 and is coming from the 1938 announcement of the new uniform. At this time, the Type 94 lost the second removable hanger and now the same sword was called a Type 98.

Many thanks Conway for the additional photographs. I located another picture showing an enlisted soldier in China with one of these samurai style swords slung across his back. This photograph was posted by @lonely panet back in 2018. Photo Translation Please, Post #12

@Shamsy, was 060682 a Kō or Otsu model Type 32? Is the Tōkyō Arsenal logo still visible? 甲 Blade Length: 832mm 32.75 inches. 乙 Blade length: 774mm 30.5 inches.

The lower ranks were allowed to use personal swords until 1939 and many of these swords were purchased in China. Take a look at the second picture down from the top, two NCOs with private swords can be seen. This is the dilemma that we face in trying to identify these swords in this thread and others. 私物軍刀

I am leaning more toward postwar Chinese production rather than wartime Chinese production. However, the opinion is subject to revision as new information comes to light. The sword above and the sword linked to below seem to be coming from the same shop or they used the same parts supplier. Note the similarity in the fittings and the lack of menuki. WW2 Japanese sword Marking Conway, I would like one more picture and that is of the entire handle. Would like to compare the handle to the one linked above.

Mal, I thought you might enjoy reading this post by Nick Komiya. 1941 IJA Weapons Prices in today's values, Post #14 Source document can be found at the link below. 全国現代刀匠作刀日本刀展覧会開催の件

A good question and I do not have an answer to it. However, @Spartancrest might be able to provide an answer as to the name of the tsuba design/style.

One more thing, the hole in the tang can sometimes be tapered. This means the mekugi can only go in & out in one direction.

Do you have a picture of the crossguard from this sword? The reason for asking is to compare it to the sword below. A Concerning Crude Nakago

Thanks Conway for the crossguard/sword guard pictures. I figured I had seen that tsuba somewhere else and sure enough see the link below. Jonathan AKA @AlphaRaider has a sword that has a similar crossguard. Jonathan's sword has a single kanji character on the tang, so can you check your tang for any such characters. WW2 Japanese sword Marking, Page 2

For the record, the serial number would indicate that this an otsu 乙 version. @John C The date is read from right to left, March 1915 大四.三.

Conway, can you take a closeup picture of the crossguard [tsuba]?

Type 32 Guntō Kō 甲 甲 Overall Length with scabbard: 1000mm 39-3/8 inches. 甲 Blade Length: 832mm 32.75 inches. Kō Date Ranges by Serial Numbers Undated: 02158 to 44820. Dated: 大四.三 76374 [1915 March] to 昭貮 83533 [1927]. In the early Taishō 大正 years, the month would follow after the year. However, those made before and after will only have the year. Undated: 84984 to 85224 [85224 highest observed serial number].

I ran across a tsuba painted on the tailfin of an airplane. See also post #12 that follows a little later. IJA IJN Kill Markings, Post #9